Ernel Martinez was born in the small country of Belize and raised in south central Los Angeles and Detroit. His introduction to art was through the underground world of graffiti. Martinez studied art at the Pratt Institute and obtained his BFA from Kutztown University. In 2004, he received his MFA from the University of Pennsylvania. Based out of the Philadelphia area, Martinez explores creative methods to give underserved communities the tools to tell their stories through art making. He uses their stories as a framework to produce artwork based in social practice that engages and builds dialogue, and believes that art enriches communities and is the path to “true” collaboration.